This invention relates to a novel litter box for pets, particularly feline pets, with respect to the elimination of waste and waste odors from household pets.
There are different types of litter boxes for use by household pets ranging from very simple make-shift boxes to sophisticated types which are sometimes impractical. However, the major difficulty with most litter boxes is the elimination of odor, particularly from liquid excretions which are often heavy ammonia odors. Many devices and apparatus are available hopefully to remove, eliminate or mask such odors with some degree of success.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,488 describes a system of purification by exposure to an air process or aerification process. The apparatus contains a sand or porous material through which the liquid excretion passes through a top tray, then a previous bottom to said top tray and then dropping onto a suspended porous aeration tablet or pad. The process can also use chemicals implanted in the aeration table.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,308,825 describes a waste odor removing device employing a receptacle, absorbent porous material, a deodorizing absorbent granular material and a screen secured to the receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,559 describes a ventilated litter box which consists of means for exhausting air with the odor from the litter box by exhausting the air with odor to the outside. The device uses a flexible hose connected to a collar around the litter box and a fan at the other end of the hose positioned in an open window to exhaust the litter box odor to the outside atmosphere.
Each of the patented devices described above can be expensive, can require continuing attention or do not fully eliminate the odor from the litter box.
It has now been surprisingly discovered that by employing well known materials in a certain combination, an effective litter box is obtained requiring little attention, eliminates odors emanating from pet waste materials and does not contaminate the atmosphere.